Most products and services, almost everything we buy and use, has but one job—to make us feel better.

The fundamental reason we use technology of all sorts, from stone tools to the latest iPhone, is to improve our mood, our situation.

We can prove this- research documents the real impact of the placebo effect in medicine. But can we extend this to our everyday lives… are we made happier through the placebo effect in our lives?… Read more

On my Christmas holiday travels i was able to read the last Economistof 2016, and saw a relevatory column by “Schumpeter” where he eulogizes the foundation theories of modern management thought.

He likens modern management theory to pre-reformation catholic dogma- where often unbelieving priests sold “get out of purgatory” indulgences to desperate congregants… Yes sounds like modern management consultancy to me.… Read more

Many new General Managers will look forward to planning for their next financial year with some trepidation.

We all are facing situations where:

– The plan is going to call for substantial growth (in sales and profit contribution), even if last year this wasn’t achieved.

– Yet the investment budget won’t be larger. The amount of time your brands are ‘on air’ has shrunk over the years as more money has gone to in-store activity (largely price promotions), and the media budget has been spread more thinly across more media options as various digital ‘new media’ were added to the mix.… Read more

A new GM must focus on customers and growing and strengthening their business. One critical means to do this, is by focusing on customer experience and understanding how a customer experiences the business he runs, and in so doing generate insights to use to build a stronger business.